Review: Gran Torino

Review: Gran Torino

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 77%

Clint Eastwood's latest offering, a meditation on racism, is as startling as it is familiar. As one critic pointed out, this film answers the Dirty Harry corpus in the same way Unforgiven answered Outlaw Josey Wales.

In this movie, Eastwood introduces us to Walt Kowalski, a racist, unhappy, unhealthy resident of a changing Detroit neighborhood. Like Dirty Harry, he seems ready to pull out a gun and be a vigilante in order to preserve his values -- and a way of life that has died with his wife. But the film soon departs from the old worn formula. Walt allows himself to see his Hmong neighbors as human beings. He transforms himself, not into Dirty Harry, but into the Good Samaritan, recognizing that all who are oppressed are his neighbors.

Gran Torino is the kind of film you see with thoughtful friends and then you go out to dinner with them and talk about it for two hours. It's the kind of film that has disturbing images that haunt you for a few days -- prompting you to question and reassess your own values.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noel)

Review: A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noel)

Rating: *

Nonna's Rating: #

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

OK, I'm an American boor. I found this French movie (which all the critics seemed to love) pretentious, tedious, and ultimately silly. I do agree with them, however, that Catherine Deneuve is absolutely "luminous" (everyone seems to use that word) and her acting is flawless. Jean-Paul Roussillon, as her husband Abel, is equally commendable. The other actors do well enough but some, like Elizabeth (Anne Consigny), are drawn so grotesquely they have no chance of achieving credibility.

The plot is disjointed and limps along. We wait for some revelation that will begin to explain some of the strained relationships in the family, but it never comes. When all is said and done, what disturbs me most about this film is that just about everyone but the children smokes incessently. By the end, I was seriously concerned about second-hand fumes.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Frost/Nixon

Review: Frost/Nixon

Rating: ***1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Finally, I agree with the critics on a film. Frost/Nixon fascinates and mesmerizes --even for those of us old enough to remember Frost interviewing Nixon and, thus, knowing exactly what happened. A couple of factors come together to make this film memorable. First, the performances of the lead and supporting actors, a remarkable ensemble, is spot on. Frank Langella inhabits Nixon, capturing his history of pain, hate, and vengeance in each small gesture. As Frost, Michael Sheen communicates the simultaneous chutzpah and insecurity that accompanied his courting of and ultimate questioning of Nixon. Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt, as James Reston, Jr. and Bob Zelnick respectively, provide clever comic counterpoint to Sheen's sometimes fumbling persona. Kevin Bacon, as Nixon's aide and protector, Jack Brennan, actually manages to elicit our sympathy as he dissolves while watching Nixon's meltdown. There are also small performances, like those of Toby Jones as Swifty Lazar and Rebecca Hall as Caroline Cushing, that complement the lead actors perfectly. The acting -- and, second, the deft editing -- make this movie.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 72%

I'm going to play the contrarian here. I honestly don't understand all the accolades piled on this film. I'm not saying it's a bad film-- it is entertaining. It's worth the price of a matinee ticket -- but you won't miss much if you wait a few months and rent it. It's another film with big stars and a big budget that just doesn't quite make it. I confess, with a certain amount of embarrassment, that I fell asleep for about 20 minutes in the middle of the movie. I wasn't tired; I was bored. I missed the whole Tilda Swinton section--and I understand her performance was a highlight. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett did deliver competent performances. Taraji Henson,who has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress, transformed her rather traditional role as Button's adoptive mother into a an above average performance.

Many critics have written about the lyrical, fairy tale quality of the film -- that it somehow "washes over you in an almost hypnotic way" (Mike McGranaghan, The Aisle Seat). Unfortunately for me, so hypnotic I fell asleep. There definitely is a fairy tale aspect to this movie, but it doesn't come anywhere near the magical fairy tale quality of a film like Big Fish. Button is one of those big budget, big star movies that somehow misses the mark. Some critics have praised the film because it reminds viewers of their own mortaility and goads them into recognition of how precious are the seemingly insignificant moments of their lives. Perhaps -- but the movie is ultimately manipulative and deftly crafted to push our buttons.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: The Reader

Review: The Reader

Rating: ***1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 60%

I was glad to see this morning that The Reader has been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar and Kate Winslet has been nominated for Best Actress. The film deserves that kind of recognition. After reading some of the negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, however, I've come to the conclusion that many of the reviewers seem to have missed what the movie was about. I find it interesting that although many of the reviewers mention the nudity and eroticism of the film, none seem to note the many bathing and scrubbing scenes that accompany the nudity. In one way, these omissions are good because these scenes could be viewed as heavy-handed, metaphor-laden episodes. But, obviously, they're not because most reviewers don't even mention them. In another way, however, not noticing these scenes means that reviewers miss the import of the imagery: a futile attempt to scrub away the dirt and guilt of atrocities committed in the concentration camps during World War II. Winslet's character, as a former SS Guard, stands for all those who were directly responsible for the genocide. Ralph Fiennes' character, in one sense, stands for those who turned away and stood silent. But, more than that, like Winslet's character, his makes a choice -- a choice that causes harm. It's a movie about capital "E" ethics and the decisions we make. It's a movie about violence begetting violence and about sins of commission and sins of omission. Kate Winslet's performance is ultimately profoundly disturbing and enigmatic. She deserves the recognition she's getting.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Doubt

Review: Doubt

Rating: ***1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%

Four excellent performances grace Doubt: Meryl Streep, brilliant as always; Philip Seymour Hoffman, chillingly confident; Amy Adams, doing her naive ingenue -- this time in a habit; and Viola Davis, a complex revelation. The fifth excellent performance is that of the cinematographer Roger Deacons, especially in a pivotal scene between Streep and Davis where dialogue and camera are perfectly paired. Streep is no ordinary nun -- and halfway through the film we find out why. Unlike most nuns of that era (the 1960s) she didn't go straight from high school (or even grade school) to the convent.

The subject of the film is the possible molestation of a child by a priest but the subtext is the nature of power and authority. In one marvelous scene, Hoffman comes to Streep's office and sits behind her desk in her chair asserting his power and dominance. This action sets off a battle for control of the room that doesn't end until the film does.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Seven Pounds

Review: Seven Pounds

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 29%

I liked this film a lot better than 71% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Generally, the naysayers thought the film was plodding, predictable, and sentimental. Some of them praised Will Smith's performance; others panned it. One reviewer criticized Smith and Rosario Dawson's respective appearances, commenting they certainly didn't look terribly attractive. Well, no, they didn't. Rosario's character was dying and Smith's character was living an extremely stressful life. The plot is somewhat predictable; it's mysterious at first, but it doesn't take long to figure out where it's going. This doesn't detract from the film, however. Will Smith's performance is one of his best.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Nim's Island

Review: Nim's Island

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 49%

Recommendation: Watch this film with a pre-teen and get a break from frenetic animation features. You'll enjoy the narrative pace and Jody Foster acting against type as a neurotic, agoraphobic klutz. It's a sweet story with very little at stake -- sort of an Enchanting the Stone for kids.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Australia

Review: Australia

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 54%

It's a long movie (2 hrs. 35 min.), but the time flew by. The narrative is strong, if derivative. I want to like this film a lot more than I did -- mostly because of Hugh Jackman -- who is so much fun to watch. I also want to like it because my friend Jan Harris, who is from Australia and grew up on a sheep farm, loved this movie. She thought Americans should all see it because it would show them a period and place in Australian history with which few Americans are familiar. That's true. It's Australian Big Valley with Nicole Kidman in the Barbara Stanwyck role. Yes, it is derivative. It's also African Queen and, believe it or not, Lawrence of Arabia, with Jackman as Lawrence and Nicole as his camel boy. And, I confess, I did need an Australian history lesson. Up until seeing this film, I would have sworn that no part of Australia was attacked by the Japanese in World War II. Well, I'm embarrassed. Not only was Darwin bombed on 19 February 1942 (with more bombs than the number dropped on Pearl Harbor), but there were about 100 more attacks of a lesser scale during the war.

Another good reason to see this movie is the beguiling performance of Brandon Walters who plays a mixed race child doing his best to avoid the authorities. At this point in Australian history, half-Aboriginal children were separated from their families and placed in institutions where they were prepared for integration into white society as laborers. Of course, if you're really interested in seeing a fine movie on this same issue, see Rabbit Proof Fence.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Rating: ****

Nonna's Rating: $$$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

The best movie I've seen this year. Hands down. And gentlemen, don't let anyone tell you that it's a "chick-flick." It is a love story, but it's more that. The narrative structure of the movie is clever and original, but the film would only be an interesting curiosity if it weren't for the power of the story and the compelling performances of a bevy of young first-time actors. It's rated "R," but that's not for sex or language; it's for violence -- and there are some very intense scenes depicting the cruel, tenuous life of orphans in Mumbai. Several critics have called the film "Dickensian," but Fagin's troop of orphans is sheltered and loved in comparison to the children in this "orphanage" in the streets of impoverished India.

And, make sure you stay when the credits start to roll for the joyful coda.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Bolt

Review: Bolt

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

Bolt is the perfect animated feature for children AND adults. Children love Kung Fu Panda, but animated martial arts don't hold my attention for long. On the other hand, Wall-E delights most adults but is too much in the head for many children and downright frightening to the smallest ones. Bolt isn't one of the great animated films, but it provides for an afternoon of solid entertainment. John Travolta's rendering of the deluded canine is sweet and innocent. Susie Essman as his sidekick, Mittens, provides balance with her worldly cynicism (and added fun for adults). The digital animation is beautiful and the plot, fairly predictable, is nevertheless engaging.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: W

Review: W

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 58%

W. hits too close to the bone, I'm afraid. This narrative of Bush's life begins, ends, and is sprinkled in between with scenes of the President and his cabinet deliberating whether or not to invade Iraq. As Cheney, Rumsfeld, and, especially, Rove manipulate Bush and the situation, I found myself profoundly uncomfortable. Everything I've read about Bush's relationship with his staff indicates that these staff scenes portrayed the interplay of personalities fairly and as close to reality as is possible on film. It's not a pretty picture.

Everyone in the film does a fine job. Brolin suggests Bush more than he impersonates him. Nevertheless, he manages to pull off an uncanny resemblance, choosing to duplicate the Texas cadences of Bush's voice and his physical presence from the neck down. Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney and Tobey Jones as Rove deliver chillingly accurate performances. James Cromwell plays Daddy Bush, a stern, unemotional father who prefers son Jeb to ne'er-do-well George W.

Oliver Stone shows more restraint in this film than in many of other works. His portrayal of W. is so balanced many critics have commented that W. would probably be pleased with the way he's portrayed.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Rachel Getting Married

Review: Rachel Getting Married

Rating: ***1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

Anne Hathaway has spent most of her acting career in family films like Ella Enchanted and The Princess Diaries. She was always charming, but the roles weren't -- well-- challenging. The Devil Wears Prada stretched her a bit; she was, after all, acting with Meryl Streep. But, in this film, she moves into entirely different territory, delivering a performance which consistently portrays a tense young woman barely able to control her emotions. Unpredictably, she lashes out like a viper from time to time, disturbing everyone in her dysfunctional family. She is a woman in the middle of her recovery from addiction, and she has all the prickliness we can expect in such a state. It is impossible to tell whether she will move forward in recovery or slip back into her addiction. It's a remarkable performance. If you've ever been close to someone in the middle of his or her recovery journey, you will recognize the symptoms.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Ghost Town

Review: Ghost Town

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Ricky Gervais delights me. The original British version of The Office, which he created and starred in, never ceases to amuse me. His portrayal of the office manager, David Brent, has an edge that just doesn't exist with Steve Carell's Michael Scott. Also, there's something weirdly endearing about Michael Scott; David Brent, on the other hand, has almost no redeeming qualities. He's delicious.

Gervais' character in Ghost Town, Bertram Pincus, D.D.S., is another unlikable guy -- but, in this case, he manages to grow and learn by the end of the movie, winning our hearts for a change. The film is a romantic comedy crossed with Ghost. This may sound derivative and predictable, but it's not. Tea Leoni's sensible sweetness is a perfect foil for Gervais' caustic humor. A more traditional comic lead here, say Owen Wilson or Vince Vaughn, would have made this a very, very ordinary movie. Put it on your Netflix list.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: The Secret Life of Bees

Review: The Secret Life of Bees

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 56%

I loved the book, but, as you probably know, I don't expect movies to follow their book source slavishly. (The exception that proves the rule was Lord of the Rings.) And this movie actually followed the book quite closely -- well, as closely as I can remember. (I have a terrible memory for the details of plot in novels. Thus, novel was definitely not my speciality in my English Lit grad program.). So, I found the movie fairly satisfying, but, unfortunately, it lacked the whimsy of the book. The acting was fine; the stars appealing. Dakota Fanning is always a revelation and Queen Latifah was her charming self. It's a great rainy afternoon movie, and, yes, definitely it's a chick-flick.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Frozen River

Review: Frozen River

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

Frozen River is not a feel good movie. Even winter in Chicago looks balmy in comparison to the frozen moonscapes of northern New York and Quebec. There are glimmers of hope by the end, but, at that point, we know too much about the characters and their circumstances to foresee any dramatic changes in the way they approach life or make decisions.

This is the story of two single mothers: one (Melissa Leo) trapped by her gender and lack of education; the other (Misty Upham) trapped by her gender and race -- and both are trapped by their poverty, living from week to week on minimal wages and illegal earnings. And, oh yes, this is a thriller of sorts -- a hold-your-breath kind of movie. There's nothing like driving over a frozen river to Canada on smuggling runs. I probably haven't succeeded in making you want to see this movie, but, trust me, it's worth it -- not the least because of the compellingly real performances of the two leads.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Burn After Reading

Review: Burn After Reading

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 79%

I can not begin to tell you how much I love the Coen Brothers' movies. I've seen them all. I love them all. I own the script of Big Lebowski. After seeing O Brother, Where Art Thou? I wrote an essay on the film's motifs, imagery, themes, characters, and situations -- all compared to the Odyssey -- for myself! I love the Coen Brothers.

But I disliked this film. I wanted to like it. I tried to like it. But I couldn't. A great cast miscast. Clooney plays the same kind of grinning nitwit he portrayed in Intolerable Cruelty -- a Coen film which, in truth, I almost hated. Brad Pitt plays against type as a pretty boy nitwit working in a health club. And Frances McDormand plays a another type of nitwit so poorly I can't believe some people are suggesting she be nominated for an Academy Award.

The story was mindless. I found I really didn't care what happened to any of the people -- which was a good thing because dire things occur. Other people have loved this film. You may love it. But, if you don't, don't blame me. I told ya so.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Flash of Genius

Review: Flash of Genius

Rating: *1/2

Nonna's Rating: $

Rotten Tomatoes: 57%

Before I saw this movie, I asked myself why I would want to sit through the story of the college professor who invented intermittent windshield wipers and spent twelve frustrating years in a patent dispute. Well, Greg Kinnear is a good enough reason. Then I saw the movie. It was . . . well . . . pretty ordinary. Someone must have seen a great story here at some point, but that story was never realized. Instead, the characters are two dimensional and there's too much of an emphasis on technical jargon. My eyes glazed over on a regular basis. It might not seem so tedious if you're watching it "free" on cable, but don't rent it -- not unless you really get off talking about circuit boards and transistors. Then this movie may be for you.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Vicky Christiana Barcelona

Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%

Vicky Cristina Barcelona has come into its share of good reviews. After a string of mediocre Woody Allen films, critics seemed delighted to have a movie they could discuss without disparagement. The story is well told and the acting is natural and engaging. Javier Bardem, thank the Lord, is not channeling Woody Allen the way Kenneth Branagh did in Celebrity (for my money, Allen's worst film). Bardem is at his charming best. Penelope Cruz does "Penelope Cruz Crazy And Out Of Her Mind" and has earned some recognition (including, with Bardem, a Golden Globe nomination). The picture has also been nominated for a Golden Globe. Why? I'm not quite sure. It's a harmless piece of fluff which, like so many of Allen's films seems to be playing out his fantasy life -- in this case a menage a trois (and then a quatre). The bottom line is that the arrangements don't work. Women get jealous. Not such a huge surprise. Not exactly great revalatory theatre. I don't think the film is worth all the fuss. Woody can do better.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Tropic Thunder

Review: Tropic Thunder

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

This movie really made me laugh. The satire was brutal; the dialogue was pretentiously silly. Ben Stiller is one of the best comedic actors out there -- not at all afraid of making himself look absolutely asinine. Tropic Thunder is not a laugh-a-minute-out-loud kind of movie. Instead, it develops a plot which gets increasingly ludicrous, silly, and bizarre. The situation drives the comedy. And the satire focuses on movies themselves -- no holds are barred. Stiller plays a Tom Cruise-type action hero bent on being taken seriously after a disastrous appearance in a "sensitive role" about a retarded man called "Simple Jack." Brandon Jackson plays a hip hop star, harboring a secret, who hopes to be taken seriously as an actor. Jack Black portrays an Eddie Murphy comedian whose films focus on an obese family (all members played by him) whose lives revolve around passing gas. Robert Downey Jr. is a "serious" Australian method actor (a la Russell Crowe) who has undergone a pigment change so that he can play a black soldier in this picture about a group of men fighting in the Viet Nam War. Rounding out this bizarre group is Tom Cruise playing a cameo as a deranged studio exec sans scruples. It's over-the-top (sometimes gross-out) humor and Downey and Cruise deserve their Golden Globe nominations. Don't blame me if you hate it. It's not for everyone, but the send up of the movie industry is priceless.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II

Review: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $ or #

Rotten Tomatoes: 63%

There's a definite sequel problem with this film. The freshness and originality of the first movie are missing; the girls are older and wiser and less interesting. What was new and charming in the Part I is old and stale here. And, gentlemen, this is most decidedly a "chick-flick," so fuggedaboutit.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Brideshead Revisited

Review: Brideshead Revisited

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 64%

If you've never read Evelyn Waugh's novel of the same name or, especially, if you've never seen the BBC's 1981 11-part, 11-hour version starring Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews, and if you enjoy period pieces, then this version of Brideshead Revisited is likely to please you. Now, I'm not one to demand that movies follow the books they are based on religiously. The genres are as different as reality and imagination; each has its strengths and weaknesses. However, Brideshead begs for an 11 hour treatment. The novel, a tale of class and religion, is lush and sensual, steeped in a simultaneously ascetic and erotic Catholicism that demands attention to detail. If I attempt to be as fair as possible to the 2008 release, I find myself agreeing that it's beautifully photographed and well-acted in the way we expect English actors to act. However, Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder and Hayley Atwell as Lady Julia Flyte just don't convey the passion and guilt of their relationship in the way Jeremy Irons and Diana Quick do. So, you might rent the 2008 film for a rainy afternoon and enjoy it, but I suggest you consider renting the 11-part series and invest the time to appreciate why it almost always makes critics' lists of the 10 best series on television.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Hellboy II

Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

Yes. Critics liked this one 88% of the time -- and they weren't wrong. I'd seen Hellboy I on cable and enjoyed the irreverent humor and ironic twists on the comic book genre. I generally don't have high expectations for sequels, but this one truly blew me away. Guillermo Del Toro's direction was downright phantasmagorical; he used myth and magic with a sure hand. His creatures echoed those in Pan's Labrinth, but were entirely appropriate to this genre, so very different in tone and story. Ron Perlman turns in a commanding performance as Hellboy, full of heart and swagger, and Selma Blair, his love interest, develops a third dimension (i.e., a true personality) in the sequel. Doug Jones as Abe Sapien (and other characters) has more screen time in the sequel and uses it well. Missing, however, is Abe's "voice" in Hellboy I, the inimitable, uncredited David Hyde Pierce.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 76%

After viewing Journey to the Center of the Earth, I was ready for a rousing adventure film -- one with a charismatic hero and plenty of action. I couldn't have been more disappointed with this latest offering in the Indiana Jones franchise. I got the feeling that a studio exec had said to Harrison Ford: "Listen, all you have to do is put on the hat and the jacket, wield that whip a few times, and we'll pay you a zillion dollars." And that's just about what Ford does. He's Indy without the passion and the energy. I wanted to give him a bottle of Extra Strength Tylenol for all his obvious aches and pains. I hate to say this, but he's too damn old to play the part, and the plot, a cold war version of Raiders of the Lost Ark, seemed tired and worn. Karen Allen, on the other hand, managed to inject her energy and spunk every time she was on screen. Rent this one on a cold winter night.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $

Rotten Tomatoes: 61%

It's a bad sign that all I can remember about this movie are the scenes I preferred from the 1959 James Mason/Pat Boone classic. The 2008 version is fast-paced, replete with special effects, and blessed with the presence of the always entertaining Brendan Fraser, but the whole thing seems decidedly flat as it careens toward its final scene. The movie just does not convey the magic, the awe, and the wonder I experienced as a child watching the earlier version. Max, the 10 year old critic was not terribly impresssed with the film -- a good reason to wait until it appears on cable.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Dark Knight

Review: Dark Knight

Rating: ****

Nonna's Rating: $$$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

Much has been written lately about how this film has been ignored for the most part by award givers. So far, only Heath Ledger's performance has received recognition. Maybe there is something sensible about film distributors not releasing films until Christmas. It does seem as if evaluation committees have forgotten this remarkable movie released last summer. Heath Ledger's performance is, however, outstanding and, definitely, disturbing. Early on in the film he gives an explanation for his depraved behavior. Its triteness should be a tip off. What we begin to understand about his motivation becomes more and more unsettling as the film moves inexoracbly to its close. This is a film about evil; it's a film about sin. Almost everyone, including Batman, is guilty of some ethical breach -- some less so (Morgan Freeman's character); some more so. In the space of a week, I saw this film twice. I haven't done that since Doctor Zhivago (3x). What still remains for me the most compelling scene is Batman with his phone standing on the corner of the Sears Tower in the hazy night. It wasn't CGI. Christian Bale was standing on the corner of the Sears Tower.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental

$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Mamma Mia

Review: Mamma Mia

Rating: ***

Nonna's Rating: $$$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 52%

I saw this film the first week it was released in Richmond, VA. I realized about half way through, as the audience around me sang every word of every song, that I had been smiling with abandon since the first scene -- and I have never been an Abba fan. The delight in this film was infectious. Even Pierce Brosnan's beyond horrible singing didn't ruin the experience for me. (His discomfort with his role radiates from every stiltled gesture and grimace.) Meryl Streep, however, is a dancing/singing revelation even though, as several critics have pointed out, she is too old for the role. No matter. She pulls it off in the glorious scenery of the Greek Islands. I gave the soundtrack to my son and daughter-in-law for Christmas and we watched it that night. My son and brother began to complain in the first five minutes and gave each other raised-eyebrow "chick flick" looks, but they stayed for the whole film and I caught them singing along more than once. Don't skip the credits. Amanda Seyfried's voice is perfect for "Thank You For the Music"

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Wall-E

Review: Wall-E

Rating: ***1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Critics' high praise for this film was well-deserved. One observed that the first half of the movie is the best silent comedy since the films of Charlie Chaplin. It's a rare thing -- an animated film that delights adults. My favorite 10-year-old reviewer Max, however, although he liked the movie, judged Kung Fu Panda the superior film. The morality tale aspect has seemed heavy-handed to a few reviewers, but it's a morality tale worth telling over and over -- a dire warning against the abuse of God's glorious creation. If you haven't seen it, make sure you put it on your NetFlix list.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it

Review: Kung Fu Panda

Review: Kung Fu Panda

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

As animated features go, Kung Fu Panda fills the bill for 3-11 year olds. Jack Black's Panda never stops moving -- his body or his mouth -- and kids love it. It's not the adult-pleaser that Wall-E is, but I didn't fall asleep either. So, this one is worth the Matinee price if you're with a kid; otherwise, watch it some late night on HBO when you're really bored.

Nonna's Ratings:
$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it